Cairo's Tahrir Square obelisk has its pyramid-shaped top installed

Nevine El-Aref , Wednesday 12 Feb 2020

The obelisk is around 19m tall and weighs 90 tones. It is one of several obelisks in San Al-Hagar site destroyed during a strong earthquake in ancient times

obelisk
Tahrir Square’s newly installed obelisk (Photo: Omar AlRzzaz)

Restorers and workers of the Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA) installed the pyramid-shaped top of the Tahrir Square’s obelisk on Tuesday. 

SCA Secretary-General Mostafa Waziri said the obelisk is well preserved and restorers will work on its fine restoration to make it ready for the grand opening of the square after its development. He pointed out that the obelisk was re-erected on a very high mount to protect it from any abuse from pedestrians.

The obelisk was transported almost six months ago, in eight gigantic blocks, from San Al-Hagr archaeological site in Zagazig to be restored, assembled and re-erected at Tahrir Square within the framework of developing Egypt’s famous square overlooking the Egyptian Museum.

In the coming days, within the Tahrir Square development scheme, four ram-headed sphinxes will also decorate the square. The sphinxes will be installed on high mounts to prevent pedestrians from climbing on them.

The obelisk is around 19m tall and weighs 90 tones. It is one of several obelisks in San Al-Hagar site destroyed during a strong earthquake in ancient times.

The SCA restored, assembled and re-erected two of the obelisks in situ, two were transported to the New Administrative Capital, and one is being restored at the Grand Egyptian Museum to be the first ever hanging obelisk on show at the entrance of the museum. 

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